Department for Transport

Railways: Tickets

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy concerning the third party sale of rail tickets.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We value the expertise and innovation independent retailers have brought, and will continue to bring, to the sector and we welcome them competing in the ticket retail market, particularly where they can grow new markets.

Railways: Bicycles and Electric Scooters

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the banning of (1) e-bikes, and (2) e-scooters, from some train services; what assessment they have made of the impact of such bans on the use of public transport; and what steps they intend to take to ensure that such products using lithium ion batteries sold in the UK are safe.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The carriage of e-bikes, and e-scooters on the National Rail Network is a matter for individual train companies. The Office of Product Safety and Standards at BEIS is responsible for ensuring that imported goods meet safety requirements

Electric Scooters: Road Traffic Offences

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 7 February (HL5872), what plans they have to make causing death by dangerous riding of an e-scooter a criminal offence.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport is considering options for how best to regulate e-scooters. New measures being considered will include applicable offences.Currently, e-scooters are classed as a type of mechanically propelled vehicle under the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means that the offence of causing death by dangerous driving could currently apply to people riding e-scooters, although this is a matter for enforcement authorities and the courts. The Department has no plans to remove e-scooters from the classification of mechanically propelled vehicles.

Parking: Pedestrian Areas

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will announce their decision on the future policy for paving parking enforcement, following the Department of Transport’s consultation Pavement Parking: Options For Change which closed on 22 November 2020; and where the summary of responses, due to be published within three months of the consultation closing, can be found.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We will publish the formal consultation response and announce next steps as soon as possible. The formal consultation response will be available to view on the Gov.uk website at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking

EGNOS

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation they undertook on the economic and safety impact of the cancellation of EGNOS; how they assessed these impacts; and whether they will place in the Library of the House any reports and conclusions relating to this cancellation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: During the negotiations leading to the 24 December 2020 EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the Government’s policy on the UK’s future membership of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) was informed by discussions with the UK’s independent airspace and safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority. These discussions included considering the likely impacts on the UK’s aviation sector if the UK withdrew from the EGNOS programme set against the costs to the taxpayer of remaining within it. The Government concluded that on balance, continued UK membership of EGNOS represented poor value for the taxpayer.There are no relevant reports and the Government’s conclusion on participation in EGNOS was set out in the “Guidance on UK involvement in the EU Space Programme” which was published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 31 December 2020.

Cycling: Accidents

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pedestrians have been killed by dangerous riding by cyclists in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The number of pedestrians killed in reported road collisions with a pedal cycle in each of the last 5 years is shown in the table. The Department’s reported road casualty statistics do not assign fault, so it is not possible to determine in how many of these cases the collision was caused by a cyclist riding dangerously. Conclusions on responsibility in each case are a matter for the courts.YearPedestrian fatalities following collision with pedal cycle2016320173201812019620204

Bicycles: Registration

Lord Lipsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to mandatory number plates for cyclists.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government currently has no plans to introduce number plates for cyclists. The absence of a number plate does not prevent a cyclist from being liable for their actions. For those who do not adopt a responsible attitude, or if their use of the highway creates an unsafe environment, there are laws in place that can make them liable for prosecution. Enforcement of cycling offences is a matter for the police.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Solar Power: Construction

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support solar panel construction in England.

Lord Callanan: The Government supports UK-based innovation in solar power through various innovation schemes, including the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund. The Government is also working with the solar industry to support the development of the UK supply chain. One of the best ways the government has supported the solar industry is overseeing its robust roll-out; 99% of the UK’s solar capacity has been rolled out since 2010.

Department of Health and Social Care

Abortion

Viscount Craigavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward a renewed approval for the continuation of early medical abortion treatment at home, prior to the expiration of the current approval on 31 March.

Lord Kamall: We are considering evidence submitted to the Government’s consultation on ‘Home use of both pills for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation’. We will publish our response the future of the approval as soon as possible.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Addington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any campaignencouraging COVID-19 vaccination has been linked to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Lord Kamall: While there are no current plans for a specific campaign linked to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, we will keep this under review.

Coronavirus: Mental Illness

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support those who are clinically extremely vulnerable who have been shielding during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now suffering with their mental health.

Lord Kamall: People previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to follow general guidance while considering any additional precautions to reduce the risk of infection. For those who require support for their mental health, advice is available from general practitioners or via online only self-care resources such as Every Mind Matters, Let’s Talk Loneliness and the Hub of Hope, which provides information on local services. Patients can also self-refer into local talking and psychological therapy services. The NHS Volunteer Responders scheme can also provide telephone support or help with collecting shopping, medication or other essential supplies.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) immunocompromised, or (2) immunosuppressed, people have received their fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Lord Kamall: The data regarding fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccines is not yet available in the format requested as it is currently being collated and centrally validated.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) immunocompromised, or (2) immunosuppressed, people have received (a) antiviral, or (b) monoclonal, antibody treatments for COVID-19.

Lord Kamall: Information on the number of doses administered to immunocompromised people is not available in the format requested. These individuals are a priority for treatments, alongside those with other clinical conditions as determined by an independent advisory group.The neutralising monoclonal antibody Ronapreve has been available to treat patients with COVID-19 in England since September 2021. As of 6 February 2022, 86 patients have been treated through COVID Medicines Delivery Units (CMDUs). The deployment of the neutralising monoclonal antibody sotrovimab began on 20 December 2021. As of 6 February 2022, 7,246 patients have been treated through CMDUs. The deployment of the oral antiviral molnupiravir began on 16 December 2021. As of 6 February 2022, 5,787 patients have been treated through CMDUs.As of 16 January 2022, 4,962 patients have been treated with Ronapreve in hospitals; 457 patients have been treated with sotrovimab in hospitals; and 49,966 patients have been treated with Remdesivir in all settings. As of 8 February 2022, 7,868 people have been enrolled on the PANORAMIC national study, with half the participants receiving molnupiravir treatment.

Peers: Correspondence

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to reply to the letter from Lord Balfe to the Department for Health and Social Care of 14 December 2021, regarding their reply of 13 December 2021 on do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) notices.

Lord Kamall: We replied to the noble Lord on 9 February 2022.

NHS: Occupational Health

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the extent to which all staff within the NHS have access to occupational health services, and (2) the benefits of occupational health services to staff within the NHS.

Lord Kamall: Responsibility for the provision of occupational health services lies with National Health Service employing organisations, who have a duty of care to staff linked to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Staff are also covered by the NHS Constitution for the right to work in healthy and safe working conditions.The People Plan’s NHS Growing Occupational Health Programme strengthens support for occupational health as a preventative approach to health and wellbeing. Occupational health can improve attendance by addressing causes of sickness absence and support staff to return to work. The current benefits of occupational health include rapid access to evidence-based mental health interventions and tailored health and wellbeing offers for NHS staff.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many clinically extremely vulnerable people have received their fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Lord Kamall: The data regarding fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccines is not yet available in the format requested as it is currently being collated and centrally validated.

DNACPR Decisions

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Kamall (HL5606 and HL5607), whether, in the case of a do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) notice being issued against the expressed wish of a patient or their family, (1) the patient, (2) their family, or (3) both, will be notified of the decision in good time for a second opinion and review to be sought and undertaken.

Lord Kamall: When a Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decision is being made, the clinician should consider the patient’s wishes and every effort should be taken to reach an agreement with the patient or, if they lack capacity, their family or representative. If the patient or their family or representative do not agree with the decision, they should be given time to ask for a second opinion or review. This is in line with the National Health Service guidance for DNACPR decisions.When a DNACPR decision is made the patient should also be told when it will be reviewed, and this is usually recorded on the DNACPR form. It is recommended that a DNACPR decision is reviewed each time a patient’s situation changes, for example when they leave hospital. If a patient is concerned about a DNACPR decision, they can contact their local Healthwatch to find out about how to get help making a complaint.

Primary Health Care: Contracts

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Alternative Provider Medical Servicesprimary care contracts have been found to be inadequate by the Care Quality Commission.

Lord Kamall: Currently, there are 142 practices registered and rated by the Care Quality Commission which hold an Alternative Provider Medical Services contract. Of these, there is one practice with a current overall rating of inadequate.

Dental Services: Staff

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people working in dental practices.

Lord Kamall: This information is not available in the format requested. However, in January 2022, there was a total of 113,795 dentists and dental care professionals in the United Kingdom registered with the General Dental Council.

Neurology: Health Services

Baroness Gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current (1) waiting times for treatment, and (2) staffing shortages, for neurological patients.

Lord Kamall: While no formal assessment has yet been made waiting times and staffing levels for neurological patients are kept under review.

Dental Services

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many dental practices there are in England.

Lord Kamall: As of June 2021, there were 10,894 dental practices in England registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

China: Genetics

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they plan to take, if any, (1) to introduce sanctions on companies in China involved in the harvesting of genetic data, or (2) take other steps to ensure that UK businesses are not engaged with such companies.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is committed to supporting UK businesses to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns. We have published guidance to help cutting-edge UK firms negotiate the ethical, legal and commercial questions they may encounter in China or when working with Chinese businesses, supporting safe and appropriate UK-China collaboration in the digital and technology space.Our overseas business risk guidance also makes clear to UK companies the risks of operating in Xinjiang, and urges them to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions.The Government has also previously imposed sanctions on Chinese actors responsible for the human rights violations in Xinjiang. We continue to keep all evidence and potential listings under close review.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of funding for COVAX to enable the (1) purchase, and (2) distribution, of ancillary vaccination equipment; and what assessment have they made of its implications for the delivery of vaccination programmes in the developing world.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to help bring the acute phase of the pandemic to an end and strongly supports the COVAX Facility as a key multilateral mechanism to deliver this. The UK is one of the largest donors to COVAX's Advance Market Commitment (AMC), committing £548 million, and will donate 100 million vaccine doses by mid-2022. This support has helped COVAX deliver over 1 billion vaccines worldwide so far.The UK has worked closely with COVAX on its recently published investment opportunity, including its financing assessments for the purchase and distribution of ancillary vaccination equipment. There are many barriers to effective rollout and the UK and COVAX partners are working with countries to help health systems deliver vaccines. This includes engaging with communities and leaders to build trust, provide correct information, and encourage uptake.

Kashmir

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last discussed with the governments of (1) India, and (2) Pakistan, the resumption at the earliest opportunity offormal bilateral relations over Kashmir since the suspension of those relations in 2019.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: India and Pakistan are long-standing, important friends of UK. The UK has consistently encouraged both sides to ensure communication channels are load-bearing and provide a means to find a lasting, diplomatic solutions to maintain regional stability. However, it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution on Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of Kashmiri people.

Olympic Games: China

Baroness Grey-Thompson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have issued tosporting representatives of (1) Team GB, and (2) Paralympics GB, participating in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games regarding the exercise of fundamental human rights in China.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have provided specific advice to the British Olympic and Paralympic Associations, including in respect of security, Chinese law and society, to ensure Team GB and Paralympics GB are as well prepared as possible for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing. We wish our athletes every success and they will continue to have our full support throughout the games. Officials in Beijing stand ready to provide consular assistance if needed.

Department for Work and Pensions

National Insurance: Foreign Nationals

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government why thestatistics on National Insurance numbers issued to overseas nationals were delayed two days before the due publication date of 25 November 2021; why they have now been suspended; and when they expect them to be published.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: All statistics produced by the Department for Work and Pensions are subject to routine quality assurance procedures before publication. During one of these procedures an underlying data issue was discovered in the quarterly National Statistics for ‘National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK’, which was due to be published on 25 November 2021. An assessment was made to understand the cause and identify if a solution could be swiftly implemented before the publication date. However, as it was not possible to do this, a decision was made to notify users both of the delay to the November release and that an update would be provided in January 2022. The investigation is taking longer than first anticipated and will therefore impact the production of the next quarterly release of the statistics, so the update provided on 26 January 2022 informed users of the decision to suspend the release of the statistics. The statistical series will be reinstated as soon as possible after a solution is implemented, in line with the UK Statistics Authority Code of Practice for Statistics and a further progress update will be provided in early April 2022.

Poverty

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report UK Poverty 2022: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK, published on 18 January; and what steps they plan to take, if any, in response to the case for "co-ordinated commitment, effort and action on the intersecting issues and challenges" identified in the report in order to address "deep and persistent poverty" in the UK.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The poverty statistics included in the Joseph Rowntree Trust’s report cover the period to 2019/20 and therefore do not help us to understand how low-income households have fared over the last two financial years. The data shows that in 2019/20, household incomes saw their strongest annual growth for nearly 20 years, and that 700,000 fewer people, including 100,000 fewer children, were in absolute poverty before housing costs compared with 2010.The Government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to tackling poverty.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Deposit Return Schemes

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of (1) the benefits of introducing a Digital Deposit Return Scheme, through which consumers could recycle drinks containers via kerbside collections using unique barcodes to reclaim deposits, and (2) the potential for incorporating a digital element into their existing proposals for a deposit return scheme.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We consulted last year on how a deposit return scheme (DRS) might operate. The consultation set out information on a return to retailer model similar to those used successfully in other countries and we also asked for information on digital systems that could be used for a DRS. The technology for a digital DRS is not yet available at the scale required for full implementation but we are aware of trials and research in the digital field. As these progress, we hope to be able to access more information concerning the practicalities and feasibility of using this technology, most notably in ensuring the scheme continues to deliver on its objectives, particularly with regard to improving the quality of material collected. While a return to retailer model forms our main proposal for a DRS at this stage, we remain interested to see and encourage innovation in DRS.

Seagulls: Urban Areas

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any health problems created by urban gulls as a result of an increase in numbers and spread inland; and what discussions they have had with Natural England about re-instating rooftop-nesting Herring gulls and Lesser black-back gulls on the General Licence to allow local councils to address any such problems.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Defra recognises that there are instances where herring gull and lesser black-backed gull may cause public health and public safety issues, particularly in urban areas. It has been assessed that these species are not appropriate for control through General Licence, due to their red and amber conservation status. However, to address some of the public health and safety concerns in urban areas, last year Natural England piloted an Organisational Licence with Worcester and Bath and North East Somerset Council. These licences allow councils to address specific public health and safety risks caused by these species. Organisational Licences are more suitable for Local Authorities experiencing a higher-than-average number of public health and safety incidents on a wide scale and its therefore likely these towns or cities have higher gull populations. Natural England will make use of local gull survey information and population viability analysis to calculate a sustainable number of gulls that can be controlled at these Organisational Licence-wide scales. Where local authorities can provide evidence that their gull populations are growing, Natural England will allow an increased number of eggs and nest removals. These licences aim to help authorities deal with the most severe public health risks posed to residents by nesting gulls, whilst ensuring that any lethal control by the destruction of eggs and nests remains lawful, justified, and proportionate. Local authorities possessing an organisational licence will no longer need to seek advance approval from Natural England to address certain specific public health and safety risks. This approach will be made available across England this year for areas that are suitable for these licences. For other specific circumstances, individual Licences are also available to control gulls for the purpose of preserving public health and safety where necessary.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Schools: Arts

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many schools achieved an Artsmark in each of the last five years.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Artsmark is a national award scheme managed by Arts Council England which celebrates schools' commitment to the arts. It provides a benchmark for arts provision in schools and encourages them to assess the opportunities and experiences available to children and young people in dance, drama, music, art, and design.The number of schools that have achieved an Artsmark in each of the last five years is set out in the table below. These figures include the Artsmark levels Silver, Gold, Platinum and RSC Platinum. A further 46 awards have been made since the beginning of this calendar year (2022).The reduction in the number of schools that achieved an Artsmark award in 2020 and 2021 can be attributed to the impact of Covid-19 and the scheme was revised accordingly.20173582018585201968320203212021232

Telecommunications: Standards

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure continuity of communication in adverse weather conditions once thePublic Switched Telephone Network is turned off in 2025.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Public Switched Telephone Network is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry, not the Government. However, the Government and Ofcom are working together to ensure consumers and sectors are protected and prepared for the upgrade process.Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator, has issued guidance on how telecoms companies can fulfil their regulatory obligation to ensure that their VoIP customers have access to the emergency services during a power outage.This guidance states that providers should have at least one solution available that enables access to emergency organisations for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage in the premises, and that the solution should be suitable for customers’ needs and should be offered free of charge to those who are at risk as they are dependent on their landline. Ofcom’s full guidance is available on its website.

Microprocessors: Shortages

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the potential (1) economic, and (2) inflationary, impact on the UK of any global shortage of computer chips; and what steps they are taking to mitigate any impact.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We appreciate the difficulties that businesses are facing around the world as a result of the current chip shortage. The global nature of this market and a confluence of unexpected events, including the unprecedented pandemic, shifts in demand, and the impact of natural disasters, have had widespread ramifications internationally, including for major chip manufacturing countries.Working closely with industry, experts, and international partners, the Government is looking at options that increase diversification of supply, enhance the resilience of procurement supply chains, and technical options to accelerate diversification away from silicon chips. This includes working with key allies to address risks stemming from the global nature of the industry.